Most teacher’s stories don’t start this way, but I never wanted to be a teacher. Sure, I played school with friends, but even as a kid I knew how intense it was to be a teacher. No matter what job I had, I always ended up training or coaching. I didn’t even see it for myself. People look to me for help and I can’t keep myself from supporting them.

My job was simply supposed to be a foot in the door on the way to being a “regular teacher.” The math specialist position was newly created in the district. I was told not to expect the job to even exist the following year!

 When I walked in the door, I had no clue what to do. My teaching degree didn’t prepare me to teach math with a text book, let alone create a program from scratch. No one in my district had any real expertise in elementary math or interventions. Co-workers offered suggestions consisting mostly of drills and teaching the way they were taught back in the day. No data. No proof of growth. 

I was so pissed off for my students. We spent tens of thousands of dollars every year buying the latest and greatest reading programs, but invested almost nothing into math. Meanwhile, administrators wondered why students kept failing algebra. Something had to change. 

After reaching out to university counselors, I found the perfect math specialist masters degree and certification program. Soon after, I found an amazing group of people on Twitter who are also passionate about authentic and effective teaching. I went all in: hosting chats, constructing professional development, coaching teachers, and building a collection of interventions and lessons. Not that I did things well right away. I had plenty of harsh learning curves, but that is another post! 

This path has lit a fire in me to be the person I needed when I started out. Teachers, administrators, and homeschoolers are struggling alone. It does not have to be this hard and we do not have to do it alone.